Primate Health at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin National Primate Research Center:
What We Weren’t Told by the UW
By Michael A. Budkie, A.H.T., Executive Director,
SAEN

Recommendations:

1. Eliminate all experimentation which causes severe
stress to the primates. This would include the confinement of primates
to restraint chairs for long periods. Other projects which induce stress
in young animals – such as the research of Gary Kraemer – should be
eliminated. This could improve the survival rate for young primates at
WNPRC.

2. The use of devices such as “head caps” should be
eliminated – these devices promote diseases like encephalitis &
meningitis.

3. Primates should not be allowed to reach such an
advanced state of disease as to be classified “cachetic” or emaciated.
This indicates that veterinary care given to these animals was
drastically insufficient.

4. Individual housing of primates should be ended
immediately. Social isolation can lead to self-mutilation. All
experiments which require social isolation should be immediately
terminated.

5. The elevated stress levels which are apparent in
the primates at WNPRC must draw into question the psychological status
of the primates in all other laboratories. This issue must be examined
in a thorough and systematic fashion. SAEN has already obtained records
from the Washington National Primate Research Center for evaluation.
Similar records will be obtained from other laboratories. The results of
this and future investigations will be disseminated to appropriate
legislators in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.